Automatic throw-over



Aug. s, 17939. w, BUTTNER 2,168,701

AUTOMATI C THROW- OVER Filed Dec, 30, 1937 2 Sheets-SheeI 1 i0 2] l l]75 j/ZQJ galli/1| @@YGIM 2 ShtetAs-lSheet w. :./Bl.-11-Tr-1r:R`

AUTOMATIC THROW-OVER Fiied Dec.' so, 1937 Aug. s, 1939.

Patented Aug. s, 193e UNITED STATES y 2,168,701 y l AuroMA'rro'rnaow-ovan William C. Buttner, Winnetka, Ill., assig'nor to Thefastball-Blessing Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation .of IllinoisApplication December 3o, 1937, serial No. 182,426

17 Claims.

One object of the invention is to provide a throw-over mechanism bymeans of which the connections from a plurality of tanks to the systemwhich they are to supply may be readily controlled from the outsidewithout the necessity l5 of disconnecting anything and particularlywithout the necessity of operating a plurality of valves individually.Another object is to provide a throw-over which may be operated withoutdisconnectingany part of the system and by means of which severalconnections may be simultaneously controlled or changed so that as thedischarge from one tank into the system is stopped the discharge fromanother tank into the system is begun, in accordance with the change inpresg sure conditions within the tanks. Other objects will appear fromtime to time in the specication and claims. The invention is illustratedmore or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, 3o wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one application; Figure 2 is an elevation ofthe application shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section taken at 35 line 3, 3 of Figure`2 on an enlarged scale; and

. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional detail taken at line i, d of Figure3.

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout thespecification and drawings.

In the particular arrangement shown herewith two tanks I and 2 are shownas being connected to a system, into which the fluid discharged from thetanks passes for use. As shown the system includes a manifold centerpiece 3, which is hollow and may be provided with a connection suitablefor receiving a pressure gauge il. The manifold is also provided with aconnection into which a discharge conduit may be placed and as shown thedischarge is from the manifold 3 into the connection 5 of a regulatorIi, from which a conduit 1 leads to carry the fluid to its point ofuse.-

As shown each tank is provided with a connection member 8, 9. Thesebeing connected respectively to the tanks I and 2 at one end, and Ileach being connected at its other end to the .eil'ect a compositehousing for the throw-over.

with them are preferably identical.

throw-over housing. As shown the "throwover housing is formed of severalparts. There are thus two main body parts I0, II to one end oi' each ofwhich is secured one of the connections 3 or 3. At the opposite ends thebody members 5 'I0 are provided with threaded connection portions I2, I3respectively, which are engaged with the manifold center piece 3, andthus the body portions I0 and I I and the manifold 3, form in i0 Eachbody portion I0 and the parts assembled They are used one for each tankand each is connected to its own tank and to a manifold or otherconnection with the system in which the gas is to be used. A descriptionof one will suice for both. The b ody I0 at its inlet end is providedwith an interiorly threaded cavity I3 to receive the connection memberI5 of the part 3. Leading from this is a passage I6, which turns back asat I'I and is open to the interior of the body. A part of the passage I6and the backwardly extending portion Il are both formed in a bridge likepor- Ition I8 which extends across the hollow interior I 3 of the body.The body I0 is provided, above the hollow I3, with an interiorlythreaded seat 20, in which a back cap 2i may be seated. The hollow cap2| is provided with an inwardly facing yannular flange 22, about whichis seated a spring 23. Thisspring bears upon a valve member or centerpiece 2i, which in its lower portion contacts the inside surface of thecap 2i and is guided by it and in its upper portion is reduced as at toslide within and guided by its inner surface of the annular flange 22.In its upper face the reduced portion 25 may be slotted as at 26 toreceive a screw driver or other adjusting tool for turning it.

Positioned on the inner face of the valve member 24 is a seat member 2which has'associated with it a seat retainer 28. The lower face of thevalve member 24 is provided on its outer margin with an annular,interiorly threaded, extension 29. The seat member 21 and the retainer28 are positioned within this extension. A yoke 30, lwhich is shoulderedat 3i, and exteriorly threaded, engages the threaded portion 23 on theannular extension of the valve member 24 and also engages and holds inplace the seat and seat retainer 2'I, 28.

At its lower -end the yoke 30, has a reduced threaded extension 32. A-diaphragm 33 is positioned upon the extension 32 and bears against theshouldered portion 3l` of the yoke 30, being held thereon by a diaphragmplate 34 screwed 65 35, formed in the body I0. A diaphragm washer 35 ispositioned against its outer face. A hollow bonnet 31, itself exteriorlythreaded, engages corresponding threading on the bonnet and so holds thediaphragm in position.

'I'he bonnet 31 is provided with a hollow interiorly` threaded extension39, within which a hollow exteriorly threaded gland 40 is adjustablyseated. At its outer end this gland40 may be enlarged as at 4i and givenany shape desired so that it may be conveniently engaged by a tool forrotating it into and. out of position. If desired a lock nut 42 may beused `to secure the gland 40 in the desired position of adjustment.

Positioned in the outer end of the gland 40, or otherwise suitablypositioned with respect to the body I 0 and the parts assembled withinit is a bar guide 43. This guide is provided with a reduced portion 44which extends into the outer end of the gland 40 and is suitably securedtherein. It is perforated as at 45 to receive the stem 4G of a springdepressor 41. Upon the upper surface of which rests one end of a spring48. The other end of this spring bears against the diaphragmA plate 34.The bar guide is also perforated as at 49 to permit a shift bar 50 topass through it. In the particular form here shown the perforation orpassage 45 is at right angles to the perforation or passage 49, but theymight be other- Wise dlsDOsed.

The shift bar 5U as shown is provided adjacent each end 5l with areduced portion 52 and between the reduced portion 52 and the mainvportion of the bar is a tapered and preferably conical cam like surface53.

It will berealized that Whereas I have herewith shown and described apractical operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of the parts without departingfrom the spirit of my invention and I wish, therefore, that my showingbe taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

One particular change from the form illustrated is that in whichthegauge 4 is positioned at a distance from the throw-over assembly.This is accomplished by putting a connection such as a tube or pipe ofthe desired length between the gauge 4 and the manifold center piece 3.The

gauge could then be positioned nearer the point of use and the usercould thus tell the condition of the system without going to the pointwhere the bottles i and 2 and the throw-over assembly are located. Thedetails of this arrangement might embody a very small restriction at thegauge opening of the manifold 3. A copper tube is connected to themanifold and run to the house or to the point of useV and thereconnected to a pressure gauge of any desired form. The tube connectedthe remote pressure gauge to the throw-over assembly is preferably ofsuch small size that its gas capacity is so low that even if a breakshould occur within the house, the gas being discharged through thissmall capacity tube would not be a great enough quantity to bedangerous.

The use and operation of the device are as follows:

In installations of the general type discussed herewith there is aninstalled system, usually within a house, and gas is supplied to it froma plurality of removable containers such as tanks or bottles. Ordinarilyonly one of these containers at a time is supplying fuel to the system,

and, when it is emptied, or approximately'emptied, it is important tohave the other container come into use. Thepresent device provides anautomatic means forbringing the new container into use when the firstused container is entirely empty or so nearly empty that it is notfeeding at sufficient pressure.

In the present system, each of the bottles I and 2 `is connected to thesystem but as shown in Figure 3, only one, namely the`bottle i issupplying gas. For the purpose of illustration it may be assumed thatwhen each is full the pressure oi' gas within each container is the sameand when both are open to the system, a condition of balance mightresult. With the container valves both open to the regulator, bothcontainers would empty together which would be objectionable because theuser would be left without a'supply of gas. To prevent this, means` areprovided for insuring the use of one bottle at a time. As shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3 the bottle number i is supplying gas through itsconnectorv 8. 'I'he gas flows from the bottle i through the passage Il,i1, under pressure and builds up in the body Il, reacting against thediaphragm 33 to maintain an equalized pressure.

If there were no shift bar or other means for placing the two springs 48under differing loads. a condition might arise at which both would open.If there were balanced pressure from the bottles on both sides, then thesprings 48, if the load on them was equaLwould hold both valves open. Asabove noted, this is undesirable, since both bottles would discharge atonce and would become empty at once. In order to prevent this, means areprovided for putting the springs 48 under unequal load and for shiftingthat condition so that each at the desired adjusted position may have agreater or less load with respect to the other, and may thus have agreater or less force tending to open its respective valve than theother. The shift bar 50 is for this purpose and in the positionofadjustment shown in Figure 3 has been moved to compress the left handspring 4B. If both bottles were connected to the system and the valvecontrolling the discharge from each bottle were open simultaneously, thegas would come into the regulator system at balanced pressure, and thisis effective against both of the diaphragms 33.

Since, however, in the position of adjustment shown, the left handspring 48 is under greater compression than the right hand spring andtherefore tends more strongly to raise its valve, pressure within thesystem effective on both diaphragms will depress the right handdiaphragm and close its valve. This is the condition illustrated in theright hand portion of Figure 3 and a condition of pressure balance hasoccurred within the system. If no gas is withdrawn from the system, forexample by using the apparatus to which it is connected, the left handvalve may also close. When, however, gas is withdrawn from the system byuse or otherwise, pressure is reduced within both bodies and because theleft hand spring 48 is under greater load, the reduction of the pressureis effective to permit expansion of the spring 48 and thus to permitlillluna cylinder rose, which would be after the gas valve will tend to openand close, but throughout this use, so long as there is an effectivequantity of gas Within the bottle I, the bottle 2 will be kept closedbecause of the spring adjustment accomplished by the position of theshift bar shown in Figure 3 in particular.

When the gas in the bottle I is substantially exhausted, the pressurewithin the bodies Il will kbe reduced to a point where the pressurewithin the right hand body I0 in particular is no longer sufficient toovercome the opening tendency of the right hand spring 48, which willthen expand and open the' right hand valve, and thus discharge commencesfrom the right hand bottle 2. As soon as the valve on this bottle isopen, gas from it passes into the system and may again establish abalanced pressure condition such as that which occurred during theemptying of the bottle I. l y

The gauge t or some other means may be provided to show which bottle isdischarging into the system, and the user can tell bythat means whetheror not the last bottle is being used. If the last bottle is in use, theuser will ordinarily send for a new bottle and the operator, beforedisconnecting the exhausted bottle, will move the shift bar to a newposition of adjustment. If the initial adjustment was that shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3, the shift bar will be moved to the right from thatposition and then the exhausted bottle I will be disconnected and a newfull. bottle in-v stalled in its place.

After the installation of the new bottle in place of the exhaustedbottle, bottle 2 continues to discharge until it is substantially empty,and then an automatic shift, such as that described above in connectionwith the shift from bottle I to bottle 2, will occur, and the new bottlewhich has replaced bottle 2 will begin to discharge.

After a bottle has been exhausted, it is important that the operatoralter the adjustment of the shift bar. If he failed to do this andmerely disconnected the exhausted bottle, pressure would discharge fromthe passage I6 and the gas would be wasted to the air.

The device of the present invention provides an automatic means forshifting from one bottle to the other as one becomes substantiallyempty, and provides at the same time a manual throwover means which,among other eiects,prevents wasting of gas to 'the open air during therep1acement of the hottie, and also permits the ready removal of theexhausted bottle.

There is a condition under which the tank will change-over, and thenswitch back again. This condition will occur under certain very coldatmospheric temperature conditions. For example, in a temperature ofzero degrees Fahrenheit, the normal pressure in the tank might be in theneighborhood of 40 lbs. per square inch. Then assuming that a consumerused a large volume of gas such as is sometimes the case in arestaurant, the tendency would be for the cylinder to give up its heat,becoming colder than the zero degree atmospheric temperature, and thiswould tend to lower the vapor pressure so that before long, it isconceivable that the pressure would drop down to a point approximatingthe switch over point. This condition could occur with the servicecylinder still half full of propane. As the pressure approached 5 or 6lbs., or whatever pressure the system is set to change-over, the othercylinder would automatically cut in, and continue to supplythe requiredamount of gas to the consumer. Then as the temperature in theconsumption from it had been stopped. as Just described, there would bea tendency to reestablish the first cylinder into service. This is oneof the advantages of the present system, insofar as it gives a muchlarger capacity under these extreme conditions of temperature.

While the operation above described of shifting from one tank to anotherwill work when one `tank' is approximately empty, this shifting from oneytank to the other may equally well work before either of the tanks isempty.

l. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, aplurality of valves positioned in said assembly, one for each of saidtanks, a plurality of diaphragme one connected to each of said valves,yielding compression means for each of said valves, tending to open itand adjusting parts for varying the l compression of each of saidyielding means, and a single unitary valve controlling member effectiveupon said-adjusting parts to vary the compression of said yieldingcompression means, said controlling member mounted for limited movementand provided with cam portions, so positioned that said adjusting partsare acted upon oppositely to each other.

2. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, aplurality of valves positioned in said assembly, one for each of saidtanks, a plurality of diaphragme one connected to each of said valves,yielding compression means. for each of said valves, tending to open itand adjusting parts for varying the compression of each of said yieldingmeans,

and a single unitary valve controlling member mounted for limitedmovement and provided with cam portions, so positioned that saidadjusting parts are acted upon simultaneously and oppositely to eachother.

3. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, aplurality of valves positioned in said assembly, one for each of saidtanks, a plurality of diaphragms within said assembly one connected toeach of said valves, yielding compression means for each of said valves,tending to open it and adjusting parts for varying the compression ofeach of said yielding means, and a single unitary valve controllingmember effective upon said adjusting parts, said controlling membermounted for limited movement and provided with cam portions, sopositioned that said adjusting parts are acted upon simultaneously andoppositely.

4. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, aplurality of valves positioned in said assembly, one for each of saidtanks, a plurality of diaphragms one connected to each of said valves,yielding compression means for each valve, tending to open it andadjusting partskfor varying the compression of each of said yieldingmeans, and aI ing. to open them and adjusting parts for varying thecompression of each of said yielding means, and a single unitary .valvecontrolling member for varying the compression of sald compressionmeans, said controlling means `mounted for movement with respect to saidadjusting parts and formed with sections of differentdiameters, sopositioned that irrespective of its position of adjustment the saidadjusting parts are in contact with sections of different diameters,positioned to effect said adjusting parts to compress one yielding meansand to expand another.

6. `In a fluid supply system, a plurality of tanks,

.aipressure control assembly, means for connecting` each of said tanksto said assembly, a plurality of'valves positioned in said assembly, onefor each of said tanks, a diaphragm withinA said assembly connected toeach of said valves, yield- -ing compression means tending to open eachof said valves and a stem for each of said yielding means, a singleunitary valve controlling member effective upon said stems, saidcontrolling member mounted for limited movement and provided withreduced portions, so positioned that when one is in contact with one ofsaid stems the other is not.

'7. In a pressure control mechanism for con- 'trolling the passage offluid under pressure from aplurality of tanks to a single point ofdischarge, a hollow control housing, a connection to said housing fromeach of said tanks, a valve for each such connection, said valves whenclosed preventing the entrance of gas into said housing, a spring foreach valve tending to open it, and unitary means movably supported onsaid housing for-- controlling a plurality of valves to insure theopening of one and the closing of others, said valve controlling meansincluding a unitary, movable, adjusting member adapted in one positionof adjustment to decrease the pressure of one of said closing springsand to increase that of another, and adapted in another position toreverse this relationship.

8. In a pressure regulator for regulating the discharge of gas underpressure from a plurality of containers into a single system, aplurality of hollow regulator housings, one for each container, amanifold, connections from each housing to said manifold, a connectionfrom each container to one of said housings, a valve within each housingcontrolling the passage of iiuid into it, yielding compression meanswithin the housing tending to open said valve, a diaphragm Within saidhousing associated with said yielding compression means, and unitarymeans supported adjacent said housings for simultaneously controllingthe opening means of a plurality of said valves, said unitary meansincluding a movably mounted member adapted, when moved, to actoppositely upon a plurality of said yielding compression means, to freeone for expansion and to compress another.

9. In a supply system for supplying fluid from a pair of containers to asingle source, a composite hollow control housing therefor, said housingcomprising hollow body members, one for each of said containers, and amanifold to which each of said bodies is connected, an inlet from eachof said containers to a body member, and valves positioned in said bodymembers to control said inlets, yielding members adjacent each valvetending to open it, diaphragms adjacent each`of said yielding members,transmission elements in contact with said yielding members, and asliding unitary control member in contact with each of said transmissionmembers and shaped to move one of said transmission members to compressone of said yielding mem? bers and to permit simultaneously expansion o!the other said yielding members forming the only connection between saidtransmission members and said diaphragm.

10. In a fluid control system for a plurality of containers, a controlhousing, including a plurality of hollow body members, one for eachcontainer, a connection from each container to one of said body members,a valve effective to control discharge through each connection, a springfor each of said valves and tending normally to open said valve, adiaphragm associated with each valve, and within a bodyand positioned toreceive pressure from within said body, spring depresscrs effective oneupon each of said opening springs and provided with a stem extendingoutward from the body, a sliding shift bar, said shift bar beingpositioned in contact with each of said spring depressors and shapedwhen in one position of adjustment to permit expansion of one springwhile simultaneously compressing another, said springs forming the onlylinks between said depressors and said diaphragms.

11. In a. pressure control system for uid discharge control from aplurality of tanks, a plurality of separate hollow housings, a manifold,a connection from each housing to said manifold, means joining each tankto one of said housings, a valve within each housing positioned tocontrol the passage of iiuid from the tank to which said housing isconnected into said housing,

springs, one for each valve and tending normally to open each valve, andmovable unitary means for adjusting the compression of each of thesprings of a plurality of housings, whereby in one position ofadjustment of said unitary means the spring of one valve is compressedto increase its opening eiIect, and simultaneously the spring of anothervalve is expanded to decrease its opening effect, said springs formingcompressible links between said valves and said controlling means.

12, In a pressure control system for fluid discharge control from aplurality of tanks, a plurality of separate hollow housings, a manifold,a connection conduit from each of said `housings thereto, means joiningeach tank to a housing, a valve mounted within each housing, andpositioned to control the passage of fluid from a tank into the housingto which it is connected, springs, one for each valve, each tendingnormally to open its valve, and unitary adjusting means for controllingthe action of the springs of a plurality of housings, whereby in o neposition of said unitary adjusting means the spring of one valve iscompressed to increase its opening effect, and simultaneously the springof another valve is expanded to decrease its opening effect, anddiaphragms mounted one in each housing and connected each to a valve,said diaphragms adapted to be moved outwardly by pressure from withinthe housing whereby pressure from within the housing is adapted to eiectclosing said springs forming compressible links between said diaphragmsand said controlling means.

trol housing therefor, said housing comprising hollow body members, onefor each of said containers, and a manifold to which said bodies areconnected, an inlet for each of said containers to its respective bod'ymember, and Valves, one positioned to control each inlet, a yieldingmember tending to open each of said valves, a diaphragm adjacent each ofsaid yielding members, a transmission element in contact with each ofsaid yielding members, and a movable unitary control member in contactwith both of said transmission members and shaped to move one of saidtransmission members to compress one of said yielding members and topermit simultaneously and substantially equal expansion of another ofsaid yielding members when said control member is moved from oneposition to another.

14. In a fluid control system for a plurality of containers, a controlhousing, vincluding a plurality of hollow chamber-forming members, onefor each container, a connection-from each container to said respectivechamber-forming members, a valve for each of said connections, springmeans tending to open each valve, a diaphragm associated with each ofsaid valves, and positioned each to receive pressure from within one ofsaid chamber-forming members, spring depressors effective upon saidopening springs and each provided with an outwardly extending stem, ashift bar having portions of reduced diameter, said shift bar beingpositioned in contact with both of said spring depressors, one depressorstem bearing upon the portion of reduced diameter and permittingexpansion of its spring, another depressor stem bearing simultaneouslyupon the unreduced diameter of the bar and compressing its spring.

15. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly. means for connecting each of said tanks to said asseinbly,said assembly comprising a housing part for each of said tanks, a valvepositioned Within each of said housings, a diaphragm in each housingoperatively associated respectively with said associated with eachyielding compression means and a single unitary valve-controlling membereffective upon said load transmitting elements to vary the compressionof said yielding compression means, said controlling member mounted forlimited movement and provided with cam portions, so positioned that saidload-transmitting elements are acted upon oppositely and substantiallyequally to each other, said valve-controlling member mounted outside ofsaid housings.

16. In a fluid supply system, having a plurality of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, saidassembly including a pair of chamber-forming housing members, amanifold, each chamberforming housing communicating with it, a serviceoutlet from said manifold, a plurality of valves positioned in saidassembly, one for each of said tanks, a plurality of diaphragms, oneassociated with each of said valves, yielding compression means for eachof said valves, tending to open it and adjusting parts for varyingthecompression of each of said yielding means, and a single unitaryvalve-controlling member effective upon said adjusting parts to vary thecompression of said yielding compression means, said controlling membermounted for limited movement and provided with substantially equal camportions, so positioned that said adjusting parts are acted uponoppositely to each other.

1'7. In a iiuid supply system, having a pair of tanks, a controlassembly, means for connecting each of said tanks to said assembly, apair of valves positioned in said assembly, one for each of said tanks,a pair ofl diaphragms mounted within said control assembly, `oneassociated with each of said valves, yielding compression means for eachof said valves, tending to open it, and a single unitaryvalve-controlling member effective upon both of said yieldingcompression means, said controlling member mounted for limited movementand provided with two identical, oppositely faced cam portions sopositioned and shaped that said compression means are acted upon equallyand oppositely when said controlling member is moved throughout itsexcursion.

' WILLIAM C. BU'ITN'ER.

